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WSJ: Dell "preparing a move into cellphones as early as next month"
You know who's blabbing again? That reclusive set of business people who always seem to be "familiar with the matter," that's who. This time, they've got the Wall Street Journal in a twist over renewed rumors that Dell is "preparing a move into cellphones as early as next month." Next month, is of course the big cellphone coming out party known as Mobile World Congress in Barcelona -- an event Dell has flat-out denied any intention to attend. Still, the evidence presented by the WSJ is pretty overwhelming. First, sources say that a variety of smartphone prototypes, including one with a QWERTY-less touchscreen and another with a sliding keyboard, have already been built running Android and Windows Mobile. Second, Dell's smartphone team "spent much of last year" meeting with suppliers, carriers, and Asian phone manufacturers. Dell's team includes the former head of Motorola's phone division (Ron Garriques) and another Moto employee (John Thode) who heads up Dell's netbook group. The latter being of interest since the iPhone and BlackBerry Storm are considered netbooks by their makers. Oh, and Dell still hasn't made good on its purchase of Zing and its plans to build an all encompassing media ecosystem to manage your audio and video files across PCs and mobile devices. Sources do contend that plans have not been finalized and Dell may still abandon the effort. But with Acer making the jump into Smartphones next month and other non-traditional players having great success in the space at the expense of the former cellphone powerhouses, one thing is clear: PC guys "will just walk in" and figure this out. Right Ed?
Book covers creation of PS3's Cell processor, how Microsoft cribbed it for Xbox
Written by two designers of the Cell processor, The Race for a New Game Machine, is a new book covering the creation of Sony's ambitious PlayStation 3 chip, and how Microsoft got a hold of its architecture for the Xbox 360. The Wall Street Journal, which gave a rather gloomy forecast for the PS3 earlier this week, has an extensive preview.According to the book, Sony, Toshiba and IBM started working on the Cell in 2001 and planned to spend $400 million over five years. If everything went according to plan, the PlayStation 3 would be out by Christmas 2005. In 2002, Microsoft approached IBM about making a chip for what would later be known as the Xbox 360. IBM ended up making a new chip "built around the core" of the Cell it was currently creating for Sony. In the end, Xbox made the 2005 launch (with a time bomb under the hood) and Sony came out a year later.As the WSJ points out, for all the power and money behind Microsoft and Sony's consoles, Nintendo has outsold both using a "sound strategic vision" with the less-powerful Wii.
WSJ: 'Hope Fades for PS3 as a Comeback Player'
If a console's feelings can be hurt, you might want to look in the corner for a rocking, sobbing PS3. Not even a month after being dubbed a "sinking ship" by Silicon Alley Insider, the Wall Street Journal has published an ouch-inducing article titled "Hope Fades for PS3 as a Comeback Player."In the wake of NPD numbers for November showing the console solidly in third place and Black Friday sales of Xbox 360 pegged at 3-to-1 over PS3, the WSJ points out that holiday sales of PS3 are down 19% over the same period last year; Wii and Xbox 360, on the other hand, were up – 100% and 8%, respectively.The Journal quotes Wedbush Morgan analyst, Michael Patcher, as predicting a price drop on PS3 hardware in April 2009, the beginning of Sony's new fiscal year. The paper says that if the sales gap can't be closed by such measures, "[Sony] could risk making the PS3 an afterthought to game publishers." Gloomy much?
DISH Network might attempt DirecTV merger again?
DirecTV and DISH Network trying to get together again? That's the idea according to the Wall Street Journal, apparently in response to DISH making "a major strategic shift" after losing 25,000 subscribers in Q2. Of course the last time these two tried U + me = Us back in 2001, regulators put the smackdown on the idea, but apparently DISH CEO Charlie Ergen thinks things may be different now. We can see how a 90% drop in subscriber growth (and a blown satellite or two) could cause anyone to reevaluate things, but as our extensive experience watching daytime TV proves, running into a new relationship to escape ones problems never works out long term, but it is interesting to see if either is really willing to stop the constant one-upmanship and concentrate on taking on the cable (& telco) companies together.[Thanks, Adam]
Mainstream jumps on Xbox 360 price cut bandwagon
The Wall Street Journal, Reuters, and we expect a few other mainstream news outlets, are finding it in vogue to report the $50 price drop for the Xbox 360 Pro is imminent. As evidenced by our gallery below, we're fairly certain that the new $299 price for the Pro console will be in effect by this Sunday.Microsoft still has not confirmed the Pro price drop, which is making us wonder. We're slowly gathering evidence, and it's still too early to say for sure, but there's a niggling suspicion that Microsoft is pulling a repeat of Sony's great PS3 clearance sale switcharoo from 2007, but that's just a rumor for now.Source -- WSJ (Subscription required)Source -- Reuters%Gallery-27273%
Wall St. Journal talks about Monster Hunter and PSP
If you ever needed a summary of proof that Monster Hunter is huge in Japan, this Wall Street Journal article would be it. The international financial newspaper credits the incredible success of the PSP in Japan over the past year to Monster Hunter. It outlines the appeal of the series, summarizing the mechanics of the game which allow a group of friends play together in co-op mode to battle monsters and gather materials for weapons and armor. Writer Yukari Iwatani Kane asserts that the Japanese are "uncomfortable with the idea of playing video games with strangers over the Internet," and Capcom "overcame that hurdle" by incorporating the Ad Hoc mode on the PSP into Monster Hunter. This brought in unconventional fans such as a 37-year-old Tokyo architect who held a "weekend retreat" with his 14 friends, which included a doctor and corporate executives, to play Monster Hunter together. Members of fan-sites such as Oyaji Hunters (Old Geezer Hunters in Japanese) "participate in regularly scheduled face-to-face get-togethers."Statistics obtained by the WSJ from Enterbrain Inc. shows that as of June 8th, 9.3 million PSPs were sold in Japan, compared with 4.75 million units in February of 2007 before the release of the first PSP Monster Hunter game. The combined sales of the two games have reached almost 4 million, and they are the only PSP games that have sold more than one million copies in Japan -- Kane attributes these sales partly to the fact that each player needs one copy of the game to play together. The article finally ends with some negative observations, stating that "Capcom hasn't made a serious effort to market the games in the U.S." and noting that the next Monster Hunter game will be on the Wii, rather than the PS3.Though the article makes some legitimate points, it is hard to trust someone that contradicts herself ("uncomfortable with the idea of playing video games with strangers" vs. "participate in regularly scheduled face-to-face get-togethers") lists "Evil May Cry" as a popular Capcom series.
Steve Jobs has a 'common bug'
Normally I wouldn't even post about this, but several people have commented on the way Steve Jobs looked during his keynote yesterday. Most folks seemed to think that he looked a little thinner than usual, which of course makes one think back to his battle with cancer. An Apple PR person assured the Wall Street Journal that Steve has been fighting a 'common bug' for the last few weeks, and he is on the mend.Everyone here at TUAW hopes Steve feels better soon! We should probably send him an iCard before they go away.
Windows 7 to be revealed tonight by Gates and Ballmer, we'll be there
Gates and Ballmer are down at the WSJ's All Things Digital conference to talk tech with Mossberg and Swisher, and it looks like tonight they'll be unveiling the first (official) glimpses of Vista's successor, currently known as Windows 7. We'll be posting live from the event, so be sure to check back at 6:15pm PT (9:15 Eastern) as things kick off.
Dell's XPS line not cancelled after all
You might remember yesterday that we reported on the Wall Street Journal's report on the canceling of the Dell XPS line, which includes the World of Warcraft laptop. It seems that the Wall Street Journal got it wrong, according to Dell spokeswoman Anne B. Camden, speaking via Dell's official blog. She took issue with almost every aspect of the Wall Street Journal's report, saying that both Alienware and the XPS line are hardly in trouble, and are known for excellence and have gained many awards and accolades, and that Dell was dedicated to both. In fact, she specifically praised the XPS M1730, which is the base for the World of Warcraft laptop. In short, the WoW laptop will probably still be available for your buying pleasure, if you are inclined to drop between 2500 and 3000 dollars on a souped up gaming laptop and a couple of extra toys. [Thanks to all the tipsters who sent this in!]
Dell to end its World of Warcraft computer line
Fresh from the Wall Street Journal comes some news from Dell: They're phasing out much of their XPS gaming line, including their Warcraft laptops. You might remember the Dell XPS M1730 from our giveaway contest, hand-ons analysis and reviews back when it first hit the market. According to the article, the phaseout begins next month, so if you've been thinking about getting one of these bad boys, you'd better act fast. The website still doesn't mention anything about the phase out, but it seems likely it'll be pulled soon. the $2999 price tag still seems a bit steep to me, but it's probably better than than the initial $4500 price tag, and better than the price that would probably be asked for any versions that might appear on various auction sites once Dell officially discontinues it. We don't know for sure if the Laptop sold well, since Dell doesn't release sales information, but according to the article, the main object of this phase-out is to bolster the flagging Alienware line, which has lost much of it's luster since being purchased by Dell. Whatever the reason, the laptop is going bye-bye, so if you want it, go and get it. But you better hurry, because it may not last. %Gallery-11623% %Gallery-11285% [Thanks for the tip, Surely!]
Rockstar's Houser talks EA takeover
In a recent piece about Rockstar Games' head honcho, Sam Houser, The Wall Street Journal probes the mind of the "secretive, demanding workaholic" about numerous topics, including EA's hostile takeover of its parent-company Take-Two. Houser says he sees some appeal in being under EA and that his company would be a "much smaller fish in a much bigger pond."Houser, who was turned down for a job at EA in the '90s, says it's unlikely he'll seek EA's approval on game content. A major point in the Activision/Vivendi merger was that Blizzard remained as untouchable as it was under Vivendi. Whether Rockstar will have that luxury in a hostile takeover remains to be seen.
Wall Street Journal says Sony stock is a 'bargain'
Sony's stock has dropped 26% in the past year, for a number of reasons. Undoubtedly, the high costs of PS3 manufacturing and its sluggish performance hasn't helped Sony's corporate image.However, the Wall Street Journal is suggesting that this is actually a good thing for investors. Sony's stock has always been "undervalued" according to their analysis. However, in recent time the stock has "become even more attractive."The video game unit's quarterly profit and increasing demand for the PS3 is making Sony a much more desirable company to invest in. Analysts have been quick to call Sony the ultimate "winner" of this generation of consoles, and the recent victory of Blu-ray in the format war is a huge help for the company. After such troubled performance, it's only a matter of time before Sony's stock goes back on the rise. Perhaps now is the time to invest.[Via Joystiq]
TUAW interviews Walt Mossberg
We were lucky enough to run into Walt Mossberg, columnist for the Wall Street Journal, co-founder and host of D: All Things Digital. He shares his thoughts on the keynote and Apple's new products. What was the biggest surprise for him? Watch and learn.Also available on:YouTube, Metacafe, DailyMotion, Blip.tv and Crackle
The Wall Street Journal catches on to HD DVD grey market imports
Hard core HD DVD fans have known for sometime that they can obtain otherwise exclusive Blu-ray titles via overseas websites like Amazon.co.uk; but we were still surprised to see the Wall Street Journal pick up on it. It's not that we don't think people are doing this, but we wonder how many. Sure, early adopter types won't have any problem ordering a title online and paying a bit more for it, but in the grand scheme of the format war, how big of deal is it? The WSJ doesn't know either, but does a great job of describing the reason (distribution rights) for the loop hole and some of the more popular ways (xploitedcinema.com) to do it. Meanwhile, we'll just keep our count to the titles available the average consumer at his local retailer.
The Wall Street Journal talks format war
We've talked the HD DVD / Blu-ray format war to death, using everything from officious study group findings to our own gorilla guerilla tactics. But you know that a topic has reached a mainstream public level when it shows up in the Wall Street Journal. Let's face it -- to the mass of consumers that will decide which format (if either) wins this war, the WSJ carries a lot more weight than enthusiast-oriented media. There's nothing new in the link for regular readers of EHD, but it does a good job of summarizing the quagmire that is the format war. HDTV sales are up, so you know consumers want HD, but people aren't picking up HD players. There are lots of issues at play, but the end result is that consumers aren't getting what they want. Take a deep breath and check out the link to see how this mess is portrayed to the pulic-at-large.
Wall Street Journal takes on Wiimote hacking
The Wall Street Journal has a brief piece -- and an even briefer video accompaniment -- covering Wiimote hacking of all things. Notable: they're calling it the "Wii-mote," not Wii Remote. Even more notable: the article's front page status!The Wii continues its mainstream media march, with the WSJ making their way to all the things we've been enjoying for months: Wiimote air guitar; air drums; Wii DJing; Wii loop machine ... and we're just scratching the surface. A very dry Nintendo spokesperson said, simply, "The Wii Remote was created to play on the Wii system only." Oh yeah? And we bet the NES controller wasn't meant to be a cell phone, TV remote, or dockable iPod controller either!
Fred Andersen pays fine, says he didn't do it
We've already mentioned that Fred Andersen has agree to pay $3.5 million in fines to SEC in regards to the Apple backdating scandal. However, he is not going quietly into that good night. Mr. Andersen has released a statement (requires a WSJ subscription) which emphasizes that he admits no wrong doing. He goes on to claim that he warned Steve Jobs that if this compensation business wasn't handled correctly there could be some fallout. Jobs assured Fred that it was all on the up and up.I don't think this story will be going away any time soon.
Weekly Webcomic Wrapup: mainstream edition
Instead of trying to fill this part with meaningless dribble (at which we rock), we've decided to take a look at the comic world through two articles from this week's stream of mainstream media.Our first article is a blurb from the Wall Street Journal's Career Journal, which recently highlighted what it would entail to choose comic-book artist as a career. Two suggestions: (1) be sure to attend conventions and network with publishers, show off your work and (2) make sure your work doesn't suck.The other piece comes from Time magazine that discusses the proliferation of webcomics. It even includes complimentary blurbs about Penny Arcade and PvP Online, credited with being one of the first webcomics. Congratulations guys!Now here are some of our picks for the week's best game-related webcomics, be sure to vote for your favorite!* Rejected Wii channels Check. It. Out. Convincing rebuttal Spectrobes, original IP Like watching paint dry Our old tricks How awesome? So awesome. Games have weird premises Living achievements vicariously * and gripe about the choices in the comments below. We know you will, we know you want to, we just hope you also suggest some of the gems we missed.
Uncle Walt gives Apple TV a thumbs-up
Our favorite 'dead tree media' technology columnist, Walt Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal, has a review out today (available free at ptech.wsj.com or with subscription at the mothership) of the Apple TV -- the 6-min video above includes most of the high points. Mr. Mossberg praises the unit for its simplicity and ease of setup; he appreciates the fit and finish of the Apple TV and likes the fact that it doesn't try to be everything for everyone. He and co-author Katherine Boehret say the Apple TV is a "pleasure to use," and it "worked great, and we can easily recommend it for people who are yearning for a simple way to show on their big TVs all that stuff trapped on their computers."Walt thoughtfully points out that you don't need a Mac to use an Apple TV (XP or Vista with iTunes works fine), and that his unit performed perfectly skip- and stutter-free on his 802.11g network, even without the speed boost of 802.11n/Airport Extreme. Interestingly, Walt suggests the main competition for the Apple TV isn't a similar device from Sling, Belkin or other second-tier vendors: it's the big kahuna, the Xbox 360. Thanks Ben!
iPhone video and Greg Joswiak interview from WSJ
Rex Crumb from MarketWatch and the Wall Street Journal snagged an interview with Apple's Vice President of iPod marketing, Greg Joswiak. Greg talked about the iPhone and its awesomeness, of course, and Rex gets some rare hands-on video, too!Although some of the footage is stock from the Keynote, there's also some real-live, hot hand-on-iPhone action. It's hard not to notice that while they are talking, Greg never lets the iPhone out of his own hands, whereas you'd normally expect to see the interviewer at least get to hold the thing. Clearly there are some pretty strict rules in place about who gets to touch one of the few demo units. Even Uncle Walt only got to handle it for a few minutes - but there's no video proof of that, so we'll have to take his word for it.Thanks, Steve!
